Boob or Bust size calculator

[AhBiscuits]

Have people found this to he accurate? I've measured and the size is VERY different to the size that I'm wearing. I have a few bras in the suggested size in my basket but dithering about hitting buy as it feels like it can't possibly be correct.

I measured me as a 30E but I wear a 32D. I couldn't even fasten the 30 bands and breathe but it gave me a starting point to start trying sizes on and work from there and the ones I'm wearing fit better than the 34C that the M&S bra fitting lady sold me!

Take a look at their Facebook group. 90% of posts start “This can’t be right…” but then go on to find a fit and style they’re happy with. I’m small busted so just used it as a general guide to try a tighter band. I was wearing 34A and now in 30DD. I could go tighter but don’t really need the extra support.

@Orangello I definitely need 34 band, the bra I have on now is so tight when I take it off there's red marks, I do have a couple of 32 but I can't go all day in them as they hurt by the early evening I have to take them off, I have a wide rib cage, I have tried next cup up but it's too high at the armpit and baggie in the top of cups.

I think it's very much the same as clothes sizes. There's the standard measurements for a size 10 for example yet some people who measure up as a size 10 will be an 8 in some shops and a 12 or 14 in others.

I measure up as 30C but I always find 30s really tight. I have bras ranging from 32C to 32DD that fit. It totally depends on the style as well. Balcony bras always seem too gapey at the top and I need to size down.

Excellent, sounds promising!

I've been many sizes over the years often guessing my size. I've been measured as 36A (M&S), 34D (Ann summers), 32E (Boux Avenue) which actually felt right for a long time. Tried BoB last year.. 30G! Having tried this size and a few others either side i'm finding 30FF generally fits me best. If I hadn't tried BoB I would never have thought in a million years I could be a 30FF/30G!

I found the banding size way too tight

Just happened upon this old post and wtf ... this is insane!

I'm a size 8 to 10 with an underband of 30 and I usually wear a 34B. How can someone size 20 wear the same band size?

Anyway, I did some bra shopping. As there were no 34Bs I decided a 32C would be fine. How wrong I was! Way too tight on the underband and spilling out of the underarm side of the cups. Back to 34B I go!

Because someone wearing a size 20 has around a 44" bust which is entirely possible with a 34" ribcage.

Your description of your 32C sounds like you needed a bigger cup size or simply a different style. Think of it like buying shoes. You might be a size 5 but not every pair of size 5 shoes you try on will fit.

I agree, cups matter as well. There's no way I could fit onto 32C. But I am very comfortable in 30FF

It’s not vanity sizing. It solved my back pain. There is no need to add four inches to an elasticated bra band.

Exactly! My aunt has the same basic body size as me, but whereas the different between my rib cage measurement and my bust measurement is 1” (because I am flat chested), she got the boob gene and has a more than 8” difference! (And yes I am jealous 😂)

And yes re cup shape on bras too, I am told by busty family members that it varies wildly between brands.

I would really recommend going to bravissimo for a new bra. If you're an 8-10 clothes size you'd probably be much more comfortable in a 30F or something. It seems bizarre when you've been wearing supermarket or more 'high street' bras.

When I finally got fitted properly 7 years ago or so the band was a bit tighter than I was used to but I decided to give it a try. Now I feel so supported, no back pain or shoulder pain. No slipping straps.

I don't have a bunch of bras so will sometimes go to an old one for a specific outfit and I end up going home early because I get such sharp back pain.

There's no right or wrong for an individual, if someone is more comfortable wearing the +4 method, fine! But the fact is thousands of women are wearing bras with the +4 measurement who would be much more comfortable in a closer fitting back band and larger cups instead. The old method is outdated and I find it lazy of bra retailers that they've never made an effort to change.

I really struggle with this sizing method. I have the odd 30 and more 32s. I think I’m a 28 going by this method, and I’m a really small framed petite size 4/6 and yet I find it so so tight and uncomfortable! I genuinely struggle to understand how people so much broader than me are comfortable in a 30 band.

If you have very little 'padding' on your ribs then you don't need the bra as tight. So slimmer people may need bigger bras than people who are more squishy, so to speak. Also bigger boobs need more support from the band, so it needs to be tighter.

But how useful is it, to be absolutely sure you know your correct bra size, when every manufacturer does slightly different sizing?

slightly different yes. But when I thought I was 34D and the brand fit small, I would have reached for 36. Now that I know I'm really a 30FF and it's a brand that fits smaller, I will try 32 and not 36.

Here are some more 30G-GG wire free bras
https://www.bravissimo.com/products/lillie-bra-ln935/?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADftwMZVdckUbM24RQdI1nLmsLUJq&gclid=Cj0KCQjwytS-BhCKARIsAMGJyzrY4ZzLjZqD4MPPp-T-AIoy3AQhsLDsQxyDAqaGRXMUjFENt-FgPqIaAh1oEALw_wcB#blush-pink-ln935blp

https://www.bouxavenue.com/product-variant?pid=102687&dwvar_102687_color=20BH&dwvar_102687_braSize=34FF&glCountry=GB&currency=GBP&utm_medium=PPC-Shopping&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=PmaxSale&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADouUr8rWC0F1XXCvZXUTSq27m4h-&gclid=Cj0KCQjwytS-BhCKARIsAMGJyzondZraAKzUkiSDaQRHahy74BN4e5xo_r_2mDbLtyj9yzmpg-0k6s4aAhRhEALw_wcB

www.bravissimo.com/products/nova-bra-ln764/?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADftwMbpzJL8sLU_0ZUrkfBlGXVwY&gclid=Cj0KCQjwytS-BhCKARIsAMGJyzqLIMMWNHdYB9WpEV5Ahwx75feLWhCcwOUNo-0texfk28viBt28YsIaAk49EALw_wcB#black-ln764blk

It didn't work for me at all.
What did was having an online fitting with Bravissimo.
I was really cynical but the fitter sized me correctly and was then able to point out styles which would suit me best and fix issues I have like straps slipping.
I've just been refitted online but decided to try their shop near to me.
Both sizes were exactly the same in person as online - I'd lost 4 inches and 1-2 cup sizes.
Going in to store meant I could try some other styles.
It's awful needing bigger sizes as you need the comfort and they are expensive to buy - mistakes are frustrating!